Building element composed of two panels with a coupling strip

ABSTRACT

A planar, angled or T-shaped building element ( 1 ) has at least two panels ( 2 ) of cross-laminated wood which are connected to one another in the narrow faces of the panels with the aid of a coupling strip ( 4 ). The coupling strip ( 4 ) has a cross-sectional shape with two ribs ( 5 ) with a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape which positively engage in undercut grooves in the interconnected panels ( 2 ). The coupling strip ( 4 ) is composed, for example, of two wedge-shaped parts ( 10  and  11 ) of mirror-symmetrical design.

The invention relates to a building element with the features of the introductory part of Claim 1 (EP 0 117 205 A).

Building elements of the above-mentioned type, which comprise at least two panels that are interconnected, are known in the art. For connecting adjoining panels with narrow sides to form a building element, various proposals have been made.

The pressing-in of coupling strips in the panels that are interconnected to form building elements can be difficult if the coupling strips and/or the panels consist of wood and the wood swells, i.e., increases in volume, in the case of increased moisture, as can prevail, for example, at construction sites.

EP 0 117 205 A is concerned with the connection of pre-fabricated panels, which with the help of coupling strips engage by friction the panels that are to be interconnected in the grooves on the narrow sides. In the case of EP 0 117 205 A, the coupling strips are hollow moldings, which are designed as one-piece units and are to be pressed into the grooves when panels are to be interconnected.

WO 99/40372 A relates to a connector to the panels, which lie flat against one another and can be interconnected. In this case, it is provided that the moldings that are provided for connection are first received in grooves and lie with their planar surface flush with the surface of the component in which the groove is provided. Only when two components with their surfaces adjoining one another are to be connected are the coupling strips that are inserted rotated by 90° in such a way that the panels are interconnected lying flat on one another. The configuration of the connector according to WO 99/40372 A requires that its cross-sectional surface is overall of equal size, since otherwise the planar surfaces could not lie flush with the surfaces of the components that are to be interconnected. The object of the invention is to make available a building element of the above-mentioned type that allows a simple and reliable connection of panels.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a building element that has the features of Claim 1.

Preferred and advantageous configurations of the invention are the subject matter of the subclaims.

The building element according to the invention comprises at least two panels, whereby as materials for the panels, wood (softwood, hardwood, solid or bonded), wood composite, in particular cross-laminated wood, as well as combinations of the above-mentioned materials are taken into consideration.

The above-described problem is solved with the building element according to the invention by the coupling strips being formed from two adjacent parts. These parts can be inserted into the grooves of the panels in succession or offset with respect to one another.

The insertion of the parts of the coupling strips is facilitated even when the wood of the coupling strips is more moist than any of the panels, since the parts of the coupling strips are designed wedge-shaped (conical) in a mating manner.

The at least two panels that are contained in the building element according to the invention can have the following dimensions:

Width: 250-3,200 mm.

Thickness: 60-400 mm.

Length: up to 20,000 mm.

With the connection (coupling) of the panels by coupling strips, which engage by friction in, for example, grooves in the surfaces that face one another, e.g., adjacent narrow sides (edges) of the panels of the building element, a simple and reliable connection is produced.

In this case, it is possible, within the framework of the invention, to produce the coupling strips from the material wood in just the same way as the panels (e.g., cross-laminated wood panels). The coupling strips can be produced from hardwood, softwood, solid or bonded, or from plastic.

The panels of the building element according to the invention can be interconnected to form planar, angled, T-shaped or self-enclosed (annular) building elements.

In the case of the invention, it is provided that the coupling strips have two ribs that point in opposite directions and that extend outward, which ribs engage in corresponding undercut grooves in the narrow sides of the panels of the building element. The undercut grooves are produced by, for example, milling.

In an embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the coupling strips are moldings with essentially cross-shaped cross-sections, whereby between the extending ribs, cross ribs that project toward both sides of the coupling strips are provided, which cross ribs are arranged between the narrow sides of the panels of the building element.

In this case, it is preferred that the cross ribs have outside surfaces that lie flush with the outside surfaces of the panels of the building element.

The building elements according to the invention can be produced in a simple manner by the panels, the panels made of cross-laminated wood, being cut to the necessary dimensions and then in particular undercut grooves (connecting slots) being produced (e.g., by milling) in the large surfaces and/or narrow sides (edges), i.e., where panels are to be interconnected to form building elements.

It is preferred when the parts of the coupling strips are adjacent along a plane that runs in the direction of the ribs.

The panels can be interconnected to form building elements either on site or else in the beam center by the coupling strips being pressed into the grooves in adjacent panels so that their ribs extend into the grooves. The pressing-in of the coupling strips into the grooves in order to interconnect panels to form building elements can be carried out with, for example, a hydraulically-operated tool or with a vibratory hammer or else with an ordinary hammer.

The building element according to the invention can have in particular the advantages mentioned below:

-   -   Stable connection by conically divided and thus wedgeable         coupling strips (external spring),     -   Self-stretching system, in which the panels are permanently         interconnected without additional aids,     -   Secure “wood/wood connection” by friction over the entire         length,     -   Easily usable even with great lengths and heights, and     -   If necessary, the connection can be further reinforced quite         simply by bonding and/or screwing.

Additional details and features of the invention follow from the description below of embodiments based on the drawings. Here:

FIG. 1 shows a planar building element that consists of two panels in a view,

FIG. 2 shows the building element of FIG. 1 in an oblique view,

FIG. 3 shows a detail in the area of the coupling of the two panels to form a building element,

FIG. 4 shows a coupling strip that consists of two parts,

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a divided coupling strip, and

FIG. 6 shows a building element that comprises straight-, corner- and T-connections.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a building element 1 consists of two panels 2 that are made of cross-laminated wood, i.e., panels 2 that consist of, for example, three layers of wooden boards, whereby the boards of adjacent layers cross one another at right angles. In the joint area 3, i.e., in the area in which the two panels 2 of the building element 1 adjoin one another with their narrow surfaces, the panels 2 are interconnected using a coupling strip 4, so that there, a straight connection 21 (planar building element 1) is present.

In the embodiment that is shown in FIG. 3, the coupling strip 4 is a molding that consists of (hard) wood with essentially circular cross-sections. The coupling strip 4 has two ribs 5 with an essentially trapezoidal cross-section that extends into their free edges. Between the ribs 5, two cross ribs 6 with lateral surfaces that are parallel to one another and that project from the molding 4 in opposite directions are provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the coupling strip 4 is inserted with its ribs 5 into grooves that are designed undercut in the narrow surfaces (edges) of the panels 2, to be interconnected, of the building element 1, whereby the cross ribs 6 are arranged between narrow surfaces (edges) of the panels 2 that are adjacent to one another and that point toward one another.

Within the framework of the invention, it is preferred that as is shown by way of example in FIG. 3, the ribs 5 and the grooves and narrow surfaces of the panels 2 are profiled at least essentially identically, so that the ribs 5 engage by friction in the grooves.

FIG. 3 shows that the free end surfaces 7 of the cross ribs 6 lie flush with the outside surfaces 8 of the panels 2 of the building element 1.

A flush and stable connection of the panels 2 is produced by the embodiment and arrangement of coupling strips 4 shown between panels 2 of the building element 1.

The coupling strip 4 that is shown in FIG. 4 has a cross-section that corresponds to the coupling strip 4 with ribs 5 and cross ribs 6 that is shown in FIG. 3. The coupling strip 4 that is shown in FIG. 4 consists of two parts 10 and 11. The plane 12, in which the parts 10 and 11 of the coupling strip 4 of FIG. 4 are adjacent, is oriented obliquely to form a longitudinal extension of the coupling strip 4. Because of the orientation of the plane 12, the parts 10 and 11 of the coupling strip 4 are wedge-shaped in a mating manner in such a way that they supplement one another to form coupling strips 4. FIG. 4 also shows that the plane 12 is oriented in such a way that it divides the ribs 5, by their going through the ribs 5.

The embodiment of a coupling strip 5 that is shown in FIG. 5 essentially corresponds to the coupling strip 4 of FIG. 4, but does not have the cross ribs 6.

Also, the coupling strip 4 of FIG. 5 consists of two parts 13 and 14, which are wedge-shaped because of the orientation of the plane 12, as has been described for the parts 10 and 11 of the coupling strip 4 of FIG. 4.

The parts 10, 11 or 13, 14 lie adjacent to one another in the position of use in such a way that the thicker end 15 of one part is arranged in the area of the thinner part 16 of the other part.

The divided embodiment of coupling strips 4, as are shown by way of example in FIGS. 4 and 5, allows, with use of the coupling strips 4 for connecting two panels 2 to form a building element 1, the insertion of first only one part 10 or 11 (FIG. 4) or 13 or 14 (FIG. 5) in the grooves, which are designed undercut, in the panels 2 that are to be interconnected. After this has taken place, the second part 11 or 10 or 14 or 13 is inserted, which is possible without considerable expenditure of force because of the wedge-shaped design of the parts 10 and 11 or 13 and 14 of the coupling strips 4.

As an alternative, the parts 10 and 11 or 13 and 14 of the coupling strips 4 can be inserted jointly into the undercut grooves of the panels 2, offset (cf. FIGS. 4 and 5) toward one another in the direction of their longitudinal extension, whereby, optionally with the use of a striking tool (e.g., hammer, vibratory hammer), the still projecting part of the coupling strip 4 is finally inserted until the ends of the parts 11 and 12 or 13 and 14 of the coupling strips 4 no longer project over the edges of the panels 2 that are now connected to form a building element 1, which panels run crosswise to the narrow surfaces of the panels 2 that are provided with the grooves.

A building element 1 according to the invention that is shown in FIG. 6 has two straight connections 20 and 21, a corner-connection 22, and a T-connection 23.

The panels 2, which are connected to form the building element 1, are at (right) angles to one another in the area of the corner connection 22, as is shown in FIG. 6. In this case, the groove in which the coupling strip 4 engages is provided in the one panel 2 that is not in a front surface (narrow surface) of the panel 2, but rather in the edge area of a large surface of the panel 2. In the other panel 2 of the corner connection 22, the groove is provided in the narrow surface.

When the groove in the large surface of the panel 2 is not provided in the area of an edge of the panel 2, a connection 23 (“T-connection”) in the building element 1, as is shown to the right in FIG. 6, designed essentially T-shaped, is shown in top view.

In summary, an embodiment of the invention can be described as follows:

A planar, angled, or T-shaped building element 1 has at least two panels 2, in particular panels 2 that consist of cross-laminated wood, which are interconnected using a coupling strip 4. The coupling strip 4 has a cross-section with two ribs 5 with a trapezoidal cross-section, which engage by friction in the undercut grooves in the panels 2 that are interconnected. The coupling strip 4 consists of, for example, two parts 10 and 11 that are wedge-shaped in a mating manner. 

1-12. (canceled)
 13. Building element (1), made of at least two panels (2), which are interconnected in the joint area (3) between large surfaces and/or narrow sides of two adjacent panels (2) with one another to form the building element (1), whereby in the large surfaces and/or narrow sides—where the panels (2) are to be interconnected to form building elements (1)—a coupling strip (4), which is connected to the panels (2), is provided between the panels (2), whereby the coupling strip (4) engages by friction in grooves in the panels (2) by the coupling strips (4) having two trapezoidal ribs (5) that extend outward, which ribs are received in corresponding undercut grooves in the panels (2), characterized in that the coupling strip (4) consists of two parts (10, 11, 13, 14) that are wedge-shaped in a mating manner and in that one part (10 or 11; 13 or 14) of the coupling strip (4) is arranged with its thicker end (15) in the area of the thinner end (16) of the other part (11 or 10; 14 or 13) of the coupling strip (4).
 14. Building element according to claim 13, wherein the coupling strip (4) has an essentially cross-shaped cross-section, whereby between the extending ribs (5), cross ribs (6) that project toward both sides of the coupling strip (4) are provided.
 15. Building element according to claim 14, wherein cross ribs (6) of the coupling strip (4) are arranged in the joint area (3) between edges of the panels (2) that are adjacent to one another.
 16. Building element according to claim 15, wherein the free end surfaces (7) of the cross ribs (6) are flush with the outside surfaces (8) of the panels (2).
 17. Building element according to claim 13, wherein the panels (2) of the building element (1) consist of solid or bonded wood, e.g., of cross-laminated wood.
 18. Building element according to claim 13, wherein the plane (12) in which the parts (10, 11; 13, 14) adjoin one another goes through the ribs (5) of the coupling strip (4) that extend outward.
 19. Building element according to claim 18, wherein the plane (12) is oriented to run obliquely to the longitudinal extension of the coupling strip (4).
 20. Building element according to claim 13, wherein panels (2) that are interconnected in the building element (1) to form at least one straight connection (21), at least one corner connection (22) and/or at least one T-connection (23) are provided.
 21. Building element according to claim 14, wherein panels (2) that are interconnected in the building element (1) to form at least one straight connection (21), at least one corner connection (22) and/or at least one T-connection (23) are provided.
 22. Building element according to claim 15, wherein panels (2) that are interconnected in the building element (1) to form at least one straight connection (21), at least one corner connection (22) and/or at least one T-connection (23) are provided.
 23. Building element according to claim 16, wherein panels (2) that are interconnected in the building element (1) to form at least one straight connection (21), at least one corner connection (22) and/or at least one T-connection (23) are provided.
 24. Building element according to claim 17, wherein panels (2) that are interconnected in the building element (1) to form at least one straight connection (21), at least one corner connection (22) and/or at least one T-connection (23) are provided.
 25. Building element according to claim 18, wherein panels (2) that are interconnected in the building element (1) to form at least one straight connection (21), at least one corner connection (22) and/or at least one T-connection (23) are provided.
 26. Building element according to claim 19, wherein panels (2) that are interconnected in the building element (1) to form at least one straight connection (21), at least one corner connection (22) and/or at least one T-connection (23) are provided. 